Steam finisher for fabrics



May 5, 1953 c. w. ROBERTS 2,637,125

STEAM FINISHER FOR FABRICS Filed Oct. 25, 1950 -mwy INVENroR. 6dr/ n( Rabe/'f5 BY E H TTRNEK Patented May 5, 11953 anni plUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Carl lW. Roberts, Baxter Springs, Kans.

Application October 25, 1950, Serial No. 192,045

This invention relates generally to the field of garment finishing and more particularly to steamr irons commonly employed in such finishing operations, the primary object being to provide an attachment for conventional steam irons to adapt the same for varied uses that would ordinarily reduire complicated and expensive machinery and instrumentalities.

Complicated andexpensive s-team board and pressing machines are commonly used in the more difficult garment nishing operations such 'as'lblocking of hats, glazing of fur coats, finishing collars and cuffs of garments generally, pressing pleats and luring leather jackets and the like. While the ordinary steam iron is generally quite universally usable in fulfilling the ordinary relatively simple garment nishing needs, it is not applicable in its common form for use in the more specialized garment finishing fields where expertness is required and special tools are needed.

The most important object of the present invention therefore, is to provide yan attachment for steam irons that is capable when placed in use ,of.performing the above mentioned more specialized garment nishing operations and including as a part thereof, a sole plate that underlies the flat bottom face of the steam iron when Iattached thereto and is provided with a number of perforations for receiving steam emanating from the iron itself.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for steam irons having a flat plate that underlies and is attached to the flat bottom face of the steam iron, the sole plate being provided with an annu- 1 Claim. (Cl. 38-77) lar rib, presenting a chamber for receiving the of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an electric steam iron showing the steam finisher attachment forming the subject matter hereof, operably mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view thereof, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of one form of sole plate per se.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view showing one end of the sole plate and steam iron.

Fig. 5 is a detailed, fragmentary, sectional view showing the opposite end of the sole plate and steam iron.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a mounting bracket with the entire finishing assembly mounted thereon; and

Fig. 'l is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 and illustrating a modified form of sole plate.

The conventional electric steam iron chosen for illustration, is broadly designated by the numeral I0 and includes a housing I2 that is closed by a base I4 having a fiat, lowermost face I6. Housing I2 is provided with a closed chamber near the top wall thereof for receiving an electric heating elelnent (not shown) that is in turn connected with an electric plug I8 extending into case I2 and forming a part of an electrical conductor 20. A handle 22 is provided for the iron I0 and extends upwardly from case I2.

The aforementioned heating element is controlled through use of a conventional rheostat or .the like (not shown) and having a manipulating knob 24 on the outermost face of housing I2 vbelow handle 22. An indicating dial 26 is interposed between knob 24 and housing I2. Steam is directed into a secondary, lowermost chamber 28 within housing I2 directly above base I4 `by means of a conduit 30.

A plurality of steam outlet openings 32 are formed in the base I4 of iron I0.

One form of garment finishing attachments of the present invention includes a flat sole plate 34 conforming substantially in shape to the base I4 of iron Ill but having a slightly greater overall circumference. Sole plate 34 is provided with a substantially V-shaped, inwardly and upwardly extending flange 3E at the forwardmost end of plate 34 for overlapping the inclined marginal edge of base I4 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4 Awhen plate 34 is attached to the iron I0.

An upturned flange 3B at the opposite end of plate 34, receives a setscrew 40 that clamps tightly into a cavity 42 in base I4 for releasably holding plate 34 or iron I0 by forcing base I4 tightly against the flange 36.

The sole plate 34 is provided with a plurality of steam outlet openings 44 disposed entirely within an upstanding annular rib 46 that is integral with the uppermost face of plate 34. Rib 46 also encircles the openings 32 of base I4 when plate 34 is on iron I0 and as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the uppermost edge of rib 46 bears directly against the iiat face I6 of base I4, presenting a hollow chamber 48 between the proximal faces of base I4 and plate 34 and within the area defined by rib 46.

A pad 50 having a fabric covering '52, covers the entire lowermost face of sole plate 34 and is held in place thereon by piping 54 and a take-up cord 56 that overlies the uppermost marginal edge of plate 34 that extends outwardlybeyond the lowermost edge of base I4.

A support for the nisher includes a base board 58 having a pair of spaced U-shaped brackets 60 mounted thereon. Steam iron I0 is placed upon the uppermost legs of the brackets 60 inran inverted position with the handle 22 extending between said legs when the iinisher assembly is to be placed in use for such operations as blocking hats.

A modied form of sole plate is illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawing and is designated by the numeral I00. Plate |00 is essentially the same as plate 34 with the exception that the same 4is relatively thick and provided with an arcuate, lowermost surface |02.

Plate |00 is mounted upon the iron I0 in the same manner as above described with respect to plate 34 and a chamber 04 between the proximal faces of plate |00 and iron I0, collects steam emanating from iron I0 and directs the same through outlet openings |06 in plate |00.

Through the above described construction, there is presented a, relatively inexpensive electric portable puff iron and luring .pad ythat can be placed in use by inexperienced personnel to perform complicated garment nishing operations with speed and dispatch in much the same manner as is now possible through use of vmore expensive complicated equipment.

When the assembly is'mounted as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing. the same can be effectively used to block hats as well as-carrying out many other garment finishing operations. Either wet or dry steam may be caused to pass through the pad 50 and its covering 52 by merely adjusting the rheostat knob. 24. All of the steam that passes outwardly through openings 32 will be collected in the chamber 48 and distributed evenly into the pad 50 through the outlet perforations 44 or |06 as the case may be. The various types of sole plates may be quickly and easily interchanged to suit the desires and needs of the operator and the attachment has no effect upon use of the iron I0 in the usual manner without the attachments hereof if desired.

Since many details ofzconstruction of the attachment may be varied in a number of ways without effecting the overall spirit of the invention, it is desired to be limited only by the scope .of theappended claim.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a steam finisher for fabrics, a steam iron having a at, oval base provided with a plurality of steam outlet openings; an oval plate conforming to the .ovalcontour Vof the baseand having a at topprovidedwithfan oval, .upstanding rib and conforming to .the oval .contour of the plate andspacedinwardly from the peripheral edge of vthe plate, the top surface of the rib-and the bottom surface of thebase having .complementary contours, said plate having a ynumber of steam outlet openings within the contines of said rib means for releasably attaching thefplate to the iron with said base resting snuglyon the rib to form a steam-tightlcontact, with zthe rib surrounding .the steam outlet Vopenings of the base, and withthe plate-extending outwardly beyond the base throughout the periphery thereof, -saicl plate having .a transversely convexjbottom face; a pad on said bottom face of zthevplate; and .a covering for 'said pad*` extending into overlapping relationship with the marginal edge'of said flat topiof the Yplate in spaced relationship to the oval periphery of the base.

CARL W. ROBERTS.

References Cited -in the file of lthis .patent UNITED vSTATES PATENTS Number Name ,Date

168,937 Theband Oct.'19, 1875 '620,305 vHadaway Feb.' 28, '1899 2,161,009 Bravek June 6, 1939 2,299,202 Bass -v. Oct. 20, 1942 

